Cabo da Roca : Where Europe Ends
This post is about serendipity; how a cancelled viva, my amble through the streets of Lisbon, a beautiful postcard, and a kind shop owner brought me to the very end of Europe!
It was a nice sunny day and I was walking around with a bagful of melt in the mouth pastries from Pastéis de Belém. I found a quiet spot to answer the questions from my professor without isolating me from the beautiful view of the Jerónimos Monastery. (I had a viva examination scheduled with my professor in India via Skype)
Since 1837, Pastéis de Belém (it’s the name of the pastry as well as the bakery) is baked using the secret recipe passed on by the monks of Jerónimos monastery. Its a must must eat! pic credit : pasteisdebelem.pt
I was about to open my laptop for a final run-through of my presentation when I heard my phone beeping, a friend informing me about the viva being postponed. Given the sudden change in events I made my way towards the tram leading to the Baixa district of Lisbon thinking how best to spend the rest of my day.
As I made my way through the streets, I saw a beautiful postcard on display outside a quaint shop. I was so fascinated by the picturesque view on it that I picked it up to check if this place is for real – It said Cabo da Roca. I couldn’t help but make my way towards the busy shop owner to enquire about this ‘Cabo da Roca’. The shop owner was a pleasant old gentleman and told me that Cabo da Roca is a day’s trip from Lisbon.
Cabo da Roca
Cabo da Roca is the west most point of Europe and about 40 kilometres to the west of Lisbon. It offers a magnificent view of the cliffs and the infinite Atlantic Ocean. An ancient lighthouse with its bright red stripes adds a pretty contrast to the blues.
Luís Vaz de Camões, one of Portugal’s greatest poets, has captured the essence of this place in the following couplet – Aqui, onde a terra se acaba e o mar começa (Here, where the land ends and the sea begins)
How to reach Cabo da Roca
Reaching Cabo da Roca from Lisbon is extremely easy. There is a train that runs from Lisbon to Sintra, a picturesque Portuguese town. Outside the Sintra station, bus no 403 will drive you to Cabo da Roca. The drive is approximately between 35-45 minutes.
Sincera Tip
- One can easily spend a couple of hours soaking in the beauty of the place. Since it is extremely windy at the Cabo da Roca, it is wise to carry a light jacket even on a sunny day.
- The place itself does not have any entry fee, but for those of you who love collecting stamps or certificates, there is a tourist information centre where you can purchase a certificate stating you visited Cabo da Roca – The west most point of Europe.
- In my opinion, combining a visit to Sintra and Cabo da Roca can qualify as a perfect day trip from Lisbon.
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